But the film required a tender, evocative and thrilling score to bolster and support the story . . . Mr. Iglesias is a master of such emotionally complex music . . . Mr. Iglesias's subtle, vivid compositions for "The Kite Runner" give the film the often-conflicting textures it needs to help tell a story that is both starkly real and something of an incredible fantasy. His score, nominated for a Golden Globe award, illuminates several otherwise static scenes that depict a deepening, then fractured friendship between two pre-teen boys . . . Mr. Iglesias's score for "The Kite Runner" has a gorgeous and thoroughly characteristic orchestral component that distinguishes it.

". . . it's Iglesias and his superb team of musicians who are the stars of this soundtrack. To hear them at their incomparable best try "Kite Tournament" (tr 7), clearly the key scene in the film. This virtuoso composition begins like a reel with a violin taking centre-stage . . . The balance between ethnic and Western music has been skilfully handled by Iglesias and his team, a factor that should ensure that "The Kite Runner" appeals to audiences well beyond the boundaries of soundtrack recordings.